In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Ron attempts magic on the train to Hogwarts. When the spell fails his new classmate Herminone says to him, “Are you sure that’s a real spell? Well, it’s not very good, is it?”  Weeks later when Hermione casts a perfect levitation charm after trying to instruct Ron on the proper way to do it, he remarks, “It’s no wonder no one can stand her. . . . She’s a nightmare.” Hermione retreats in tears. The astute reader detects there is a fiery relationship between the two, one that will take six years and six books to flame into love. That’s real life.

In my pastoral care class I learned that emotional love and hate are not opposites so much as two sides of the same coin. Hate can flip into love, and love to hate. It’s why in the old rite of marriage the couple didn’t promise to love each other but to “plight thee my troth,” that is, “pledge you my faithfulness.” The idea is the partners promise to keep at the relationship even when their feelings suggest otherwise.

Faithfulness despite feelings is beneficial to all human relationships, especially the church. It would be nice of we always agreed with each, but we don’t. Maybe it’s because we have different want and desires. Sometimes this leads to ruffled feelings among people. What we need is to remain faithful to each other because what really matters is that we are one body in Christ.

May we always keep faithful to each other.

Read Hebrews 10:23-29  and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne